Accessibility

The state has brought together agency staff to figure out ways to make its website and digital services more accessible to people with disabilities. The work reflects wider trends in gov tech, including public safety.

The federal Department of Justice’s final rule in April updated the Americans with Disabilities Act, requiring accessibility for all government content. Here’s what that means for state and local entities.

Students and faculty at a Connecticut high school helped a visually impaired student "see" the recent solar eclipse using LightSound, a small device developed at Harvard University in 2017 that converts light into sound.

A speech language pathologist in New Orleans praises the use of alternative and augmentative communication devices in classrooms to help students with autism, learning disabilities, brain injuries or sensory impairments.

Local governments are increasingly using technology such as kiosks, chatbots and online forms to streamline services, but are these tools accessible to everyone? Data reveals critical gaps that may have simple fixes.

A junior at Farmington High School in Connecticut won a $10,000 award from a national program for creating Code for All Minds, a computer science program for neurodivergent children and young adults.

Former Executive Director, Philadelphia Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

Director, Strategy, Performance and Innovation Office, Colorado Office of Information Technology

At the 2024 Government Social Media Conference, officials shared their insight on how to operate in the changing landscape of social media. They also discussed what to expect as AI comes onto the scene.

Officials have leveraged digital and mobile tools to make services more widely accessible to Coloradans regardless of location. Simultaneously, they are upgrading their IT infrastructure to more modern tools.

Competing at a national summit next month, the first five new companies recognized by Western Governors University Labs’ Accelerator Pitch Competition address critical challenges in education.

To bring a Spanish-speaking student into the fold and help him learn English, a Keene Junior High School teacher ordered Timekettle, a translator app with earbuds the student can wear during class or group work.

Plus, Maine is the first state to have its digital equity plan accepted, the NTCA is calling for a more effective challenge process for the national broadband map, and more.

A Washington school district is putting $47,000 in state grants toward mobile translation devices and community classes for families on how to navigate the Internet and specific technology tools.

Ashley Bloom, the state's first chief IT accessibility officer, shared that she is approaching the role with the mindset that accessibility should be integrated into all of the state's IT work.

A Jan. 22 report from the Office of Educational Technology and Office of Special Education Programs dispels the myths of assistive technology devices and shares improvements that experts have witnessed in that space.

Massachusetts has appointed Ashley Bloom as the state’s new chief IT accessibility officer, a role in which she will be responsible for improving the accessibility of the state’s digital services.

As experts recently discussed at Code for America’s FormFest 2023 event, the digitization of government forms and processes can create more equitable access to government services for constituents.